His Little Angel
by Hermione's Shadow
Summary: They made it through the battle alive and Naraku was dead. He thought the danger had passed, so he never expected to lose her like this, not 15 years later. And whats more, she left him to raise their daughter alone. Inu Yasha/Kagome, Miroku/Sango
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

**Summary: **They made it through the battle alive and Naraku was dead. He thought the danger had passed, so he never expected to lose her like this, not 13 years later. And whats more, she lefthim to raise their daughter alone. Watch as Inu Yasha experiences the joy, laughter, and pain of parenthood.

Disclaimer: I do not own Inu Yasha and co. If I did Kikyou would have stayed dead. I do however own, Keitaru, Suki, and Takara.

**A/N: So this is a new story that popped into my head while my friend and I were discussing what Inu Yasha would be like as a parent. I decided to set this story in present time just because I thought it would be a little easier and more interesting and for the most part it follows the story line, excepting for the end. I also didn't include Shippo because I didn't want to have to have a storyline for him too. It's not that I hate him, but in this story he would have been too difficult to write. I will try to keep Inu Yasha as in character as possible, however fatherhood does change people and that will be reflected. Anyway, please read and let me know what you think. Oh, and for those of you reading my Harry Potter story; In Search of the truth, I haven't forgotten it or abandoned it, I will update soon, I just needed to start working on something else while I regather my thoughts on that one.**

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As the dust and smoke settled, everyone stood ready, prepared for the worst, however there was nothing there. Cautiosly, the four figures began to look at each other, scared that their comrads

might be injured or dead. As each face sought out the other three and confirmed that they were all alive and not in any serious danger, small, reserved smiles began to tug at the corner of all their

mouths. Before they knew it, they were all smiling wildly and racing to each other. They stood their in a huddle for a few minutes, in one big group hug touching each other confirming that this

was real. As reality sunk in, Sango and Kagome threw their arms around each other as Inu Yasha and Miroku did the same. Next, Kagome and Miroku embraced as did Sango and Inu Yasha, before

finally, Sango launched herself into Miroku's embrace and Kagome did the same to Inu Yasha. For once no one was embarassed and no one was pretending to be tough.

Miroku was unashamed of the tears falling down his face as he realized that he would indeed live to marry the woman he loved and he would never have to worry about his children bearing the

curse.

Even Inu Yasha let his walls come down as he embraced Miroku and Sango, something he never would have done otherwise. As he held Kagome in his arms, he felt his heart stir as a new feeling

settled over him, one he'd never felt before, complete contentness.

As for Sango and Kagome, they just enjoyed being in the arms of the ones they loved, feeling as if a huge weight had just been lifted off their shoulders. Naraku was finally dead, and the Shikon no

Tama complete and in their possesion.

For the first week following his defeat, the gang rested and recuporated in Kaede's village. Kagome returned home to visit her Mom and let her know the good news. It was upon her return to the

Fuedal Era, that the problems began. Although Naraku was now gone for good this time, the gang was faced with a problem that in their excitement and relief they had completely forgotten about.

The Jewel was now complete and under Kagome's protection, and just as before the object of desire for a lot of demons. Even though they knew she could take care of herself, they all worried

constantly about Kagome, especially Inu Yasha. The only way to get rid of the jewel would be to purify it, which also meant the well would permanantly close.

Inu Yasha had already told Kagome he would become human so she could purify the jewel and not have to worry about it's protection. At first she protested, but he stopped her. He understood

that she loved him just the way he was but that wasn't why he wanted to become human. He told her that he wanted to become human because as a half demon he would out live her, Sango,

and Miroku. He had finally found a family and he didn't want to have to continue living for years and years after they all died. Even with his decision, Kagome still agonized over what to do for many

nights. She and Inu Yasha had finally been able to admitt their love for each other and Kagome wasn't about to give that up, but if she were to stay with Inu Yasha, that would mean saying good-

bye to her grandfather, mother, and little brother.

It was early one evening, as Kagome sat in the grass looking at the stars just after the sun had set that Inu Yasha, Miroku, and Sango approached her. Unbeknownest to her, all three of her

companions had been having secret meetings trying to find an answer. They had watched her pain as she tried to convince herself that saying good-bye to her mom, grandfather, and brother was

what she truly wanted and that she would have no regrets. It was Sango who came up with the idea one night as she was trying to fall asleep. She had wanted so badly to help Kagome because

she knew the pain of losing her brother and father. She was afraid for Kagome though, it would be worse because she would be chosing to permanantly say goodbye, not being forced to. As she laid

there that night, she thought about how other than Miroku and Inu Yasha she didn't really have anyone. Her entire village had been destroyed, so their really wasn't anything here for her other

than bad memories. As she began to think about it, she realized that the same thing could be mostly said for both Miroku and Inu Yasha. She approached them both with her idea one day when

Kagome was out of range unsure of how they would react. To her suprise and excitement they both agreed whole heartedly with her. Next they went to Kaede, to see if she thought it could be

done and were thrilled when she answered yes. So as they came to Kagome that evening, they could barely contain their excitement and smiles.

As they sat down around her, Kagome smiled at them, although it did not reach her eyes. She was slightly suprised however, when Inu Yasha took her hand, which caused her to smile to widen

just a tiny bit.

"Kagome," Inu Yasha began, "we have something we want to talk to you about. However, seeing as it was Sango's idea, I think she should be the one to tell you."

As Kagome listened to them, her excitement grew. She couldn't believe that they were all willing to do this just for her. In the end, Kagome cried, but it was decided that in one week, they would

all say goodbye to the Fuedal Era of Japan forever, they were able to use the Jewel's power to not only make Inu Yasha become fully human, but to take Miroku and Sango through the well with

them..

The first year was difficult for everyone, but eventually everyone adapted. Kagome and Sango shared her room, while Miroku and Inu Yasha, roomed with Souta. At first the house was considerably

cramped, but everyone adjusted. Souta was thrilled to have to more males around the house and Kagome and Sango enjoyed finding out what it was like to truly have a sister. Kagome's mom

took to Sango and Miroku immediately and enjoyed having "more children to care for" as she put it.

Before they even realized it, three years had come and gone. Miroku had taken over the shrine duties for Kagome's grandfather when he retired after deciding Miroku was an excellent succesor.

Inu Yasha had found work teaching at a local dojo and was now, with Kagome's help getting ready to open his own. Sango had worked as a waitress with Kagome at a small restuarant when they

first came back through the well, but she had since began apprenticing at a small jewelry shop. All of her years creating weapons and tools in the village had come in handy. The summer after

Kagome graduated from high school Miroku and Sango got married and moved into their own house, just a block away from the Higarashi Shrine. The wedding had been small and simple, with Inu

Yasha giving Sango away. Inu Yasha and Kagome were of course the best man and maid of honor. As they had planned the wedding, Kagome often joked how quickly all three of them had taken

to modern tradtions and customs. The ceremony had been elegant and beautiful. They had invited a few friends they had met since they had come, and everyone had a wonderful time. Kagome

had gotten the suprise of her life though when Inu Yasha had got down on one knee and pulled out a diamond ring. With her friends and family watching with smiles on their face Kagome had

tearfully said yes. She later found out that Inu Yasha had consulted her mother to make sure that his proposal was perfect.

So as Kagome entered her freshman year at university, life was perfect.

**A/N: Me again, sorry, but asking you to please, please review, the goal is 10-15 reviews before I update, but if I don't quite make it I'll update in a week or so. If I do make my goal though, it'll be sooner ;)**


	2. Lost In This Moment

**Chapter 1: Lost In This Moment**

_I smell the jasmine floatin in the air like a love song_

_Watch my words draw sweet tears to your eyes_

_Bow our heads while the preacher talks to Jesus_

_Please Bless this brand new life_

_Lost in this moment with you_

_I am completely consumed_

_My feeling so absolute, there's no doubt_

_Sealing our love with a kiss_

_Waited my whole life for this_

_Watching all my dreams come true_

_Lost in this moment with you_

_-Big and Rich_

It was just a little more than a year after the proposal that Kagome and Inu Yasha walked down the aisle. Like Sango and Miroku, their cermony had been small and elegant.

Ever since she was little, Kagome had dreamed of getting married under the Sacred Tree. When Inu Yasha proposed to her, she felt even more strongly about making her childhood fantasy come

true. At first, Inu Yasha had been mildly concerned, as the tree held some not so nice memories for him, but it didn't take much for Kagome to convince him. That was after all where they met and

had shared many special moments.

Kagome's wedding dress had been incredibly simple, but utterly stunning on her. It was a white spaghetti strap dress that flared out slightly at the hips, but only enough to give the skirt a little

movement. The skirt was made from a few layers of silk which caused it to move with her every movement, and the very tip of the bottom was tinged a very light pink to add a small bit of color.

Kagome wore a viel with cherry blossoms on the top instead of a tiara. She had kept her makeup very simple, using very light eyeshadow to highlight her eyes a bit and clear lip gloss. She kept

her hair simple opting to pull it back in a simple half ponytail, and letting the rest fall down her back. Unlike most brides however, as the big day approached, instead of getting nervous, Kagome

only became more confidant.

The day of their wedding was absolutely gorgeous. It was a nice cool summer day with only a slight breeze that kept everyone from getting too hot. As Inu Yasha stood waiting under the tree, he

felt someone nudge him. He gave Miroku a questioning look. "Stop fidgeting," was his only response and Inu Yasha smiled sheepishly. In the years since Kagome, Miroku, and Sango entered his

life, he had calmed down considerably, but he still maintained his over confident, borderline arrogant attitude. That was precisely why Inu Yasha fidgeting due to nerves made Miroku and Sango

smile in amusement. Even more out of character was the sheepish smile. If Miroku hadn't experienced the same thing only a year earlier, he would have had a smart comment. As Inu Yasha

looked back down the aisle though, he gasped. Standing at the other side was his Kagome looking like a picture of pure innocense. Inu Yasha felt his heartrate speed up and his hands start to

shake. The mightly Inu Yasha who could slay a hundred demons with one sweep of his sword, the very same Inu Yasha who had defeated the most foul and evil demon that ever existed, was

reduced to shaking knees by the sight of his soon to be wife.

Kagome's grandfather gave her away and Inu Yasha was only vaguely aware of Miroku whispering for him to breath as they began to make their way down the aisle. The whole day flew by them,

and before they knew it they were husband and wife. Miroku, Sango, and Kagome's family had suprised them by sending them to Hawaii for their honeymoon. It was the best week of their lives.

They enjoyed each other's company and for the first time since their relationship began, they had each other completely to themselves. They fully enjoyed themselves and did all sorts of things.

They even tried surfing which, to Kagomes total amusement, Inu Yasha was horrible at. Kagome didn't stop laughing the entire time Inu Yasha was trying to stay on the board. In the end, he gave

up, annoucing that it was "a stupid activity anyway" in a very Inu Yasha attitude. Kagome simply smiled and did her best to conceal her laughter, extremely grateful that he no longr had his

superhuman hearing. Unfortunately, the week went by all to quickly for them and before they knew it, they were back home.

When they returned home, they moved into a small two-bedroom house four blocks from the shrine, and three blocks from Sango and Miroku. At first Kagome was concerned that she would have

difficulty returning to school, however it was easier than she expected. She was at school while Inu Yasha was at work, and he always did whatever he could to help her when they were both

home.

During her third year, Sango gave birth to a healthy baby boy. They named him Keitaro, and he was the apple of everyone's eye. He looked exactly like Miroku, except for his smile. He had Sango's

smile. The next year was full of excitement as Miroku and Sango stayed busy with Keitaro and Kagome finished up her last year in school. She graduated with a degree in writing and confided

in Inu Yasha that she planned to write a book about their adventures so all of their children could read about them. She thought it would be neat because to everyone else it would be a fairytale,

but to them it would serve as documentation of all their memories.

The same week that Kagome graduated, Sango announced that she was once again pregnant. A month later, Kagome found out that she too, was expecting a small bundle of joy.

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**A/N: **Just a warning that this story will not be all joy and happiness. At times it will be extremely sad, and a character will die. It will also be very sweet and happy at times as well portray Inu Yasha in a slightly softer way. Anyway I hope you enjoy it!!! Oh yeah and please, please, review. This story in particular is special to me because I will be basing some parts of it on personal experience so it would mean a lot to me to get feedback and how I'm doing.


	3. Isn't She Lovely

**Chapter 2 - Isn't She Lovely**

_Isn't she lovely_

_Isn't she wonderful_

_Isn't she precious_

_Less than one minute old_

_I never thought through love, we'd be making one as lovely as she_

_But isn't she lovely, made from love_

_Isn't she pretty_

_Truly the Angels best_

_Boy I'm so happy_

_We have been Heaven blessed_

_I can't believe what God has done_

_Through us He has given life to one_

_But isn't she lovely, made from love_

_-Stevie Wonder_

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Kagome stood in front of the mirror and checked her reflection for the hundredth time. Today was their third anniversary and Inu Yasha was taking her out to dinner at a fancy restaurant someone

had suggested to him. At last Kagome smiled at her reflection. She had on a black floor lenth dress that from the front was very plain. It had a high neckline that ran straight across her collar bone.

The back of the dress though dropped to her lower back where the fabric hung loosely and elegantly. It was accented by a long piece of silk string that was attatched at each end to the shoulders and

held a small, crystal, heart-shaped pendent. Kagome had swept her long hair up into an elegant twist and left a few tendrils to frame her face. She had used dark eyeshadow on her eyes to give them

a "smokey" effect, and opted for a clear lipgloss rather than dark lipstick. She finished her look with strappy black high heels, the pair of dangly diamond earings that Inu Yasha had given her last year

for their aniversary, and the delicate diamond bracelet that had been her wedding gift from him.

Meanwhile, Inu Yasha waited anxiously in the living room of their small home. Although his personality and tempermant had calmed down slightly over the years, he could still be very impatient at

times. He let out an impatient sigh as he once again got up and paced the room a couple of times. Not able to take it any more, he opened his mouth to yell for Kagome to get a move on it when his

voice died in his throat. As Inu Yasha stared at his wife, he suddenly forgot that he had been about to yell at her for taking so long. In fact, he forgot that they even had dinner reservations in twenty

minutes.

As Kagome looked at the stunned expression on Inu Yasha's face she giggled. She loved that even after all these years of friendship and three years of marraige she could still take his breath away.

She gracefully made her way over to him and gently kissed his lips.

"I believe we have dinner reservations we have to make dear," she reminded him in a teasing voice.

"Huh? Oh yeah, right, dinner reservations," Inu Yasha agreed shaking his head to try to refocus.

The entire evening was enjoyable for both Inu Yasha and Kagome as they enjoyed each other's company and reflected on their relationship so far. As desert came, Inu Yasha decided that it was time

for gifts. He pulled out a small box and handed it to Kagome. As she opened it she gasped. "You remembered," she whispered as tears started forming in her eyes.

When Inu Yasha and Kagome had been on their honeymoon in Hawaii, Kagome had seen a pair of hair combs that she had fallen in love with. They edge had been trimmed with small, delicate looking

hibiscus flowers in different colors. Each flower had a very small pearl center, and small gemstones matching the color of the flower in each petal. At the time, they hadn't had a lot of money and so

they couldn't get them, but Kagome had never forgotten.

"How did you manage to get them?" She asked still staring at them.

"One of my students went to Hawaii with their family last month. I described the clips to his mother and asked her to get them if she found them and gave her the money. When she found them she

sent me a picture of them to confirm that they were the correct ones and brought them back with her." Inu Yasha replied. "Would you like me to help you put them in?" He asked.

"Yes please," Kagome replied. After he had got them in place, he bent down and gave her a tender kiss. As he sat back down Kagome nervously pulled a card out of her purse. Inu Yasha took it from

her hand and carefully opened it, curious to find out what it was. As he pulled it out of the envelope and read it his eyes widened. Kagome watched him carefully as he stared at the card anxious for a

reaction. He stared at the card for a few more moments before slowly looking at Kagome's expectant face.

"Is this for real?" He asked, a smile slowly beginning to tug at the corners of his mouth.

"Yes." Kagome said smiling.

"Oh Kagome!" He exclaimed jumping out of his seat and pulling her out of hers. "This is fantastic," he said picking her up and spinning her around. "This is the best gift ever!"

"Inu Yasha," she said. Her face was turning red with embarrassment as she looked around the restaurant and saw that everyone was staring at her.

As Inu Yasha became aware of everyone else, he simply smiled even more and said "My wife and I are going to become parents." As everyone began to clap for them, Kagome turned a deeper shade

of red.

The following months were spent with great anticipation. Inu Yasha became even more protective of Kagome and allowed her to do very little. At first Kagome found it very endearing, but it wasn't

long before she was getting annoyed. With her hormones raging, Inu Yasha found himself walking a very thin line, and spent the night on the sofa more than once. After their first fight, Inu Yasha

had called Miroku and they went out for lunch the next day. Miroku, who was going through this for a second time, did his best to give Inu Yasha a crash course in dealing with, pregnant, hormonal

wives. At the end of their conversation Inu Yasha found himself immensely grateful that he no longer had his "sit" beads. He couldn't help but think that if what Miroku said was true he would have

been spending the entire duration of Kagome's pregnancy with his face in the floor.

As soon as she far enough along, they decided to find out the gender of the baby. Both parents were overjoyed to find out they would be having a baby girl. The spend the next months setting up her

nursery, buying clothes, and picking out a name. In the end they finally decided on Takara. Kagome and Sango, who was also having a girl, decided they wanted a joint baby shower since their arrival

dates were so close. They had the shower at Miroku and Sango's house, and by the time the day was done, the house was overrun with pink, pastels, and stuffed animals.

It was the last week of her seventh month of pregnancy that they got a phone call in the middle of the night from a frantic Miroku asking if Inu Yasha could come get Keitaro so Miroku could get

Sango to the hospital. Inu Yasha gently woke Kagome to let her know what was happening before running over to their friends house. He returned with a sleeping Keitaro in his arms and an hour

later, the three of them were on their way to the hospital as well. Ten hours later, they all welcomed little Suki into the world.

Exactly one month later to the day, Inu Yasha and Kagome were racing to the hospital to welcome their little girl into the world, one week early. Kagome was in labor even longer than Sango, for

almost eighteen hours. Finally, an exhausted Kagome held Takara in her arms for the first time. As Inu Yasha took her in his arms for the first time, he stared in awe at the beautiful little angel

staring up at him. She was so tiny and fragile looking that he was afraid to move. As he looked into her honey brown eyes he felt as though his heart would burst from love and happiness. He could

believe that he and Kagome had created something so perfect. She had Kagome's eyes and ears and, but she had his nose and mouth.

By the time they brought Takara home, Inu Yasha still couldn't take his eyes off her and niether could Kagome. As the first month went bye they would spend hours just staring at her. Everytime her

tiny voice would cry Inu Yasha would be at her bassinet in a flash, picking her up and cradling her in his arms. Kagome meanwhile, watched the transformation with amazement. It was like overnight

Inu Yasha suddenly became the most patient person in the world.

**A/N: Ok, so due the the fact that I am in a super good mood, I decided to post this chapter just a little earlier than I initially planned. My had told me I could get one season of NCIS over the weekend which had me really excited. I was slightly dissapointed however when we got to the store and they didn't have season 1. Still, I got season 2 which had me super excited (I am totally addicted to NCIS, I think Gibbs would be an awesome boss and a really cool dad!). When we got home, my dad had me look up a movie that he had wanted on line and surprised me by telling me to order the first season of NCIS, so yeah, I was pretty much bouncing off the walls with excitement all weekend. I have finally calmed down a little, but am still in a super happy mood which caused me to post this. Anyway, let me know what you think!!!**


	4. Tough

**Chapter 3: Tough**

_The doctors let us know, the tests showed_

_She'd have to fight to live, I broke down and cried_

_She held me and said it's gonna be alright_

_She wore that wig to church,_

_Pink ribbon pinned there on her shirt_

_No room for fear, full of faith_

_Hands held high singing Amazing Grace_

_Never once complained, refusing to give up_

_And I thought I was tough_

_She's strong, pushes on, can't slow her down_

_She can take anything life dishes out_

_There was a time_

_Back before she was mine_

_When I thought I was tough_

_-Craig Morgan_

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He stared at the doctor in shock. He was sure that he had misunderstood him, but based on the look on his face, he knew he couldn't have. He sat in the chair dumfounded and put his head in his

hands, only vaguely aware that the doctor was still talking. His comprehension had turned off at "cancer." The doctor was wrong, those stupid tests were wrong, they had to be. He was snapped back

to reality but the sound of the door shutting. He looked up and his eye's found his wife's. Before he realized, tears had formed in the corner of his eyes and he was walking toward her.

"How did this happen?" he asked. It was a stupid question, but he couldn't stop it.

"I don't know," Kagome replied, her voice oddly distant. Suddenly she was in his arms and a torrent of tears were flowing down his face. He had never cried, not once. No matter how bad the pain got,

not even when Kikyo died for the last time, but this was different, this was his Kagome. "It's going to be ok," she said softly trying to reassure both of them. "You know I don't give up easily, I never

have. Besides, I have so much more to live for now, I have Takara." Inu Yasha looked at her and thought about there daughter.

The signs had started right after Takara was born. Kagome never seemed to really recover from the exhaustion of the birth. She was tired all the time and it seemed like she was always sick. There

were some days where she couldn't even get out of bed. At first, they had thought it was post-pardum depression, but Kagome insisted she wasn't depressed, just exhausted. For months, Kagome

refused to go to the doctor insisting that it was nothing. Only after Sango talked to Kagome and convinced that this wasn't normal did she agree to go see her doctor. They ran some tests and

diagnosed her with a severe form of post pardum depression. They gave her medicine and sent her home. For the first couple months, the medication seemed to help, and slowly Kagome began to

regain her energy. Then suddenly, it was like a flip switched and Kagome's health began deteriorating. This time Kagome willingly agreed to go a different doctor. Kagome had become so sick that it

was interfering with her ability to take care of Takara. So now, over a year after Takara's birth and her problems began, Kagome and Inu Yasha sat in the doctor's office trying to absorb the bomb that

had just been dropped on them.

"Hi, Sango?" Inu Yasha asked as a female voice came on the other end of his phone.

"Yeah, how'd everything go?" Sango asked.

"Not so good," he replied, struggling to keep his voice even. "Listen, I was wondering if there was any way Takara could stay with you tonight, if it wouldn't cause too much trouble."

"Yeah, that would be fine, is everything ok?" Sango asked, sensing the trouble in Inu Yasha's voice. It had been a long time since he had been able to slip anything by her.

"No, not at all," Inu Yasha admitted knowing there was no sense in trying to pretend it was. "Listen Sango, I appreciate your concern and Kagome and I will sit down with you and Miroku tomorrow to

explain, but for tonight, Kagome and I just really need the time alone to figure some things out."

"Yeah, of course." She replied as a horrible sinking feeling came over her. "Don't worry about Tara. She's the same size as Suki so I have enough clothes and everything for her."

"Thank you Sango," Inu Yasha replied.

"If you or Kagome need anything, please don't hesitate to call." As Sango hung up, she was at a loss as to what to do. Kagome was her sister and she knew that something was terribly wrong, but

she didn't know what. Part of her wanted to call her husband and ask him to come home to be with her, but the other part knew that their was no sense in worrying him sooner than necessary. He

would find out as soon as he got home anyway, and since she didn't know exactly what was wrong, there was nothing either of them could do.

Meanwhile, Inu Yasha flipped his cell phone close just as Kagome emerged from the restroom. "I just spoke with Sango," he said wrapping his arm around her waist as they walked out of the building.

"She said that she would be fine watching Tara for us tonight." The walked in silence the rest of the way to the car and once they reached it, Inu Yasha opened her door for her and handed her her

seatbelt before closing it and walking around to his side. As he got in and started the car up he asked Kagome what she wanted to do.

"I think I just want to go back to the house and get into bed. I'm not feeling to great, and to be honest, I'm not really up for anything else," she responded quietly. For Kagome, the news hadn't quite

sunk in completely. Even still, she knew that without a doubt she was determined to fight this. She wanted more than anything to raise Takara alongside Inu Yasha and watch her baby grow up. A

few tears escaped down her cheeks as she realized that she probably wouldn't be able to have anymore children.

"What are you thinking about," Inu Yasha asked taking her hand in his.

"That we probably can't have any more children," she whispered quietly. She knew that Inu Yasha had always wanted a few children, and he had especially hoped to have a little boy too.

"Well," he said thoughtfully, "just think how much more we will get to spoil Tara. All of our love and attention will be on her, and her alone. She won't have to share the spotlight." Kagome smiled

slightly at his attempt to cheer her up. Before long they were home, and as they got into bed, Kagome curled up into Inu Yasha's side as he held her protectively. They quickly fell asleep, both being

emotionally drained, and it was early evening before either of them woke up. The spent the rest of the evening in bed talking about what they were going to do, and how things would change. After a

couple of hours of talking, they both fell asleep once more and slept through the night.

The next morning when Kagome woke up, she found herself desperately wishing that yesterday had been a horrible dream. As she looked to her side and saw that Inu Yasha was awake and watching

her, she could tell by his expression that he was thinking the same thing. They went through the morning on autopilot, dreading having to tell Sango and Miroku because that meant they would have

to admit to someone other than themselves that this was really happening.

Sango and Miroku stared at Kagome and Inu Yasha in shock. Sango had suspected something was wrong after she got off the phone with Inu Yasha, and had told Miroku when he arrived home that

night. They had discussed the possibilites, but neither one had come even close to suspecting this. Kagome was like a little sister to both of them.

The next few months were difficult for everyone. For Inu Yasha, it was watching the love of his life go through pain and suffering that he could do absolutely nothing to prevent. It was the first time,

in all the years they'd been together, that he wasn't able to protect her, and it tore him up inside. For Sango, it was almost like reliving what she went through with Kohaku all over again. Just like

Kohaku, Kagome was right there infront of her and yet, she was unable to do anything to change the situation. For Miroku, it was a bit different. Over the years he had come to love Kagome like the

little sister he never had, so it hurt that he couldn't help her, but it also killed him to watch his wife and best friend suffer helplessly along side her. There were nights, usually on days Kagome came

home violently ill after one of her treatments, that he would hold Sango for hours while she would cry. It went on like this for a few months with Miroku and Sango pitching in to take care of Takara

whenever they were needed, and yet, through everyone's misery, Kagome remained remarkably strong. Sure, every now and then she would break down and cry, but mostly, she held her head up

and kept her spirits high. She believed without a shadow of a doubt that she would get better, and pretty soon her optimism was wearing off on everyone. Finally, after months of treatments and

medications, they got the news they had been so desperate to hear, Kagome was getting better.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::

**A/N:** Hey guys, I'm sorry it took me so long to post this, I know its been forever. My best friend kept harping on my to update at least one of my stories and I realized that I still hadn't posted this chapter even though I had written it quite sometime ago. Anyway, I'm not going to be getting too technical with any of the medical stuff in this story simply because I'm not a doctor and science is my worst subject so I'm not even going to pretend to know much. It is up to you to decide what form of cancer Kagome has, I know that the song indicates breast cancer but I didn't specify for the simple reason that I don't know enough about the disease to write about it. Anyway, I would love to say that I will be updating really soon and sooner if I get lots of reviews but I can't promise that simply because my schedule is way too crazy this semester. Even though I'm taking one less class, the hw load is probably three times as much as it was for me last semester not to mention I am now faced with the possibility I will be moving to another state. So all I can do is promise to do my best to update when I have time, but I can honestly say I probably won't be getting a regular update schedule going until classes end. For those of you reading my Harry Potter story "In Search of the Truth" I promise I have not abandoned that one either. It will probably take me just a bit longer to update that one because I am trying to put more detail and keep it as in character as possible. Anyway happy reading, and if you would be so kind as to leave a review on your way out it would be greatly appreciated!!!


	5. Angel's Lullaby

**Angel's Lullaby**

_Midnight moonlight shining through the curtain lace_

_Paints a perfect picture on your perfect face_

_One sweet angel sleeping in my arms_

_You are the promise I knew God would keep_

_You are the gift that makes my world complete_

_And you'll never know how much I love you_

_But I'll keep telling you my whole life through_

_Now I believe in miracles and you're the reason why_

_So dream on while I sing you my angel's lullaby_

_-Reba McEntire_

_::::::::::::::::::::::::::::_

Takara's second birthday was fast approaching and Kagome and Inu Yasha were amazed by how fast their little girl was growing. To them it seemed like it was just yesterday they were bringing her

home and now they had an energetic toddler. Of course, the last two years had been difficult on everyone. Inu Yasha found himself unable to sleep one evening as the thoughts and memories of the

last couple years since Kagome had first told him she was pregnant ran through his mind. Tired of lying awake, Inu Yasha quietly got up, careful no to disturb his sleeping wife. He paused for a

moment and smiled softly as he looked at her sleeping form. She always looked so peaceful when she was asleep. As Inu Yasha carefully slipped out of their room, he found himself automatically

making his way to his sleeping daughters room.

As he quietly entered her room, he couldn't stop the grin that appeared on his face as a sliver of moonlight caught the streak of silver in Takara's hair.

When Takara's hair first began to come in, Kagome and Inu Yasha had been both suprised and stumped as to why she had any silver in her hair. When Inu Yasha had made himself human, his hair

had turned and remained completely black. For whatever reason though, Takara had inherited a tiny streak of silver hair that framed the left side of her face. Like her parents though, the rest of her

hair was a silky midnight black.

As Inu Yasha approached her crib, he was suprised to find that she was wide awake. The site of her honey brown eyes staring up at him warmed his heart and he reached in to pick her up. Inu Yasha

had been slightly suprised how easy fatherhood had come to him. He had never admitted it to anyone, not even himself, but the idea of being a father and being responsible for another life had scared

him to death. When they had first brought Takara home he had been terrified that he would hurt her, she was so fragile. Within the first three days though, all of his paternal instincts kicked in and

he fell right into the role. He loved his little girl more than life itself and had already started making threats in his mind against anyone who dared harm his baby, namely and future potential

boyfriends.

As Inu Yasha cradeled the sleepy toddler he sat down in the rocker, staring at her in wonder. Sometimes he still couldn't believe that he had a part in creating her. As he sat their rocking her back to

sleep he was so lost in thought that he never heard his wife enter the room. It wasn't until Takara was once again asleep and Kagome spoke that he was aware of her prescence.

"Its amazing how perfect she is, isn't it?" Kagome whispered softly. Inu Yasha looked up at his wife and smiled. "Sometimes I come in at night when she's sleeping and just watch

her." Kagome confessed.

"She's always been a wonderful baby." Inu Yasha commented as he gently put her back in her crib. Even from day one they hadn't had a whole lot of trouble with her. She always slept when she was

supposed and rarely ever fussed. Miroku and Sango had commented on more than one occasion that she was a complete angel compared to their two. Inu Yasha and Kagome stood next to one

another for another minute watching Takara sleep before they returned to their own room. "Can you believe she's going to be two in less than a month?" Inu Yasha asked as they got back into bed.

"I still don't know where the time went," he added.

"It's only going to go faster from here." Kagome replied.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

**A/N: Okay, so I know this chapter was super short and I'm afraid to say this, but the next one is going to be too. I just wanted to write a couple of small snippets of family time before we get back into the drama. Anyway, please review.**


	6. Oh My, My, My

**Oh My, My, My**

_And our daddies used to joke about the two of us_

_Growing up and falling in love_

_And our mamma's smiled_

_And rolled their eyes_

_And said oh my, my, my_

_Take me back to the house in the backyard tree_

_Said you'd beat me up you were bigger than me_

_You never did, you never did_

_Take me back to when our world was one block wide_

_I dared you to kiss me and ran when you tried_

_Just two kids you and I_

_Oh my, my, my, my_

_-Taylor Swift_

_::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::_

The sound of shouts and laughter rang from the backyard as Keitaro, Suki, and Takara raced around the yard with each other. "The house is beautiful," commented Kagome as they sat down on the

porch to watch the children. Sango and Miroku had just moved into a new, larger house. This one was actually closer to Kagome and Inu Yasha. It was a beautiful house a few houses down from

Kagome and Inu Yasha. The house had always stood out on the street because it was slightly larger than the rest. According to some of their neighbors it was once the only house in the surrounding

area and the rest of the area was just open farmland. As times changed though, the owners began to sell off bits of the land. In fact, it wasn't the size of the house that made it stand out so much as

the amount of land surrounding it. The majority of the houses in the area had almost no land.

The two couples had often joked about how nice it would be to have that house, especially after the children were born. Then one day, quite suddenly the house had gone up for sale. Sango and

Miroku had immediately put a bid in on it, and much to their surprise, they won. Now, two months later, they had finally unpacked the last of their things and were enjoying their new home.

"I can't believe how fast they're growing up," Sango commented as they watched the children play. Keitaro was six and a half and Suki and Takara had just turned five.

"I can't believe how fast time has flown since we left the past." Miroku said. "Can you believe its been thirteen years?" He added as an after thought.

"Sometimes," Inu Yasha said, "but most of the time, no I can't."

"I never thought I'd get to see this side of life," Miroku added quietly. "Of course, I never in a million years thought I'd be living here in the future, but there were times I honestly didn't think I was

going to have children and get to watch them grow up."

"I don't think any of us saw our lives turning out this perfectly," Kagome added. The adults sat their in silence for a few minutes reminiscing before a tiny cry caught their attention.

"Daddy!" a small voice rang out from around the corner. In an instant both Inu Yasha and Miroku were on their feet followed closely by Sango and Kagome. Suddenly Suki came flying around the

corner looking scared.

"Uncle!" She yelled running up to Inu Yasha. "Tara fell, she..." But Suki didn't get to finish her sentence because Inu Yasha was already running around the corner. Miroku picked Suki up as he and

the two woman followed Inu Yasha around the corner. The sight that met their eyes when they rounded the corner made all of them smile in spite of things. Takara was sitting on the ground holding

her knee and crying while Keitaro sat next to her with his arm around her shoulder trying to comfort her.

"Daddy," she whimpered when she saw him come around the corner. Inu Yasha went to her and sat next to her.

"Let me see," he said gently as he removed her hand. He was relieved to see it was just a small scratch. He picked her up and carried her back to the porch while Keitaro anxiously followed. Sango

disappeared for a few moments in search of a band-aid and within five minutes everything was back to normal. The three children ran off playing and the adults settled back in to their chairs to watch.

"Wouldn't it be something?" Miroku suddenly asked with a smile.

"What?" Inu Yasha responded.

"If Keitaro and Takara fell for each when they grew up?" Inu Yasha just stared at him for a moment while Kagome and Sango giggled at his expression. "What?" Miroku asked. "I mean, then you

won't have to worry about her going out with some pervert."

"You're kidding, right?" Inu Yasha retorted. "If Keitaro turns out to be anything like his father then I will have to worry three times as much."

At this Kagome burst out laughing at Miroku's indignant expression. "I assure you Inu Yasha," Sango broke in smirking, "Keitaro will be nothing like his father." At this Kagome and Sango started

giggling again. When Miroku turned to glare at Sango, they just laughed harder and Sango rolled her eyes at him.

The rest of the day raced by and before they knew it, the children were climbing into their laps and falling asleep.

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**A/N: ok, I know that this chapter was pretty short too, which is why I tried to make it up by posting two chapters together. I'm not really sure when I'll get the next chapter up, but just a warning, it will be a sad chapter. That is why I wanted to post a couple chapters of fluff. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed and please review.**


	7. Kagome's Song

**Kagome's Song**

**A/N: **This chapter is dedicated to my mother who passed away just over a year and a half ago. Normally I only use a fragment of the song, but for this particular chapter I included almost the whole song because it is a beautiful song and I felt it was completely appropriate. Just in case your interested, this song is actually called "Sissy's Song" was written for a young woman who worked for Alan Jackson that was killed in an accident. He wrote it for and performed it at her funeral. This song means a lot to me because it also describes my mom perfectly, and as sad as the song is, I can't help but smile because I can totally picture my mom in Heaven saying "Don't worry about me."

_Why did she have to go?_

_So young I just don't know why_

_Things happen half the time_

_Without reason, without rhyme_

_Lovely sweet young woman_

_Daughter, wife, and mother_

_Makes no sense to me_

_I just have to believe_

_She flew up to Heaven on the wings of angels_

_By the clouds and stars and past where no one sees_

_And she walks with Jesus and her loved ones waiting_

_And I know she's smiling saying_

_Don't worry 'bout me_

_Loved ones she left behind_

_Just trying to survive_

_And understand the why_

_Feeling so lost inside_

_Anger shot straight at God_

_Then asking for His love_

_Empty with disbelief_

_Just hoping that maybe _

_She flew up to Heaven on the wings of angels_

_By the clouds and stars and past where no one sees_

_And she walks with Jesus and her loved ones waiting_

_And I know she's smiling saying_

_Don't worry 'bout me_

_:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::_

"Daddy!!" Takara shouted. "Come on, that's not fair," she pouted.

"What's not fair?" Inu Yasha asked innocently.

"You stole my ice cream!" She said as she made another attempt to get it back.

"Oh, this was your ice cream?" Inu Yasha asked, a spoonful of ice cream already in his mouth.

"You knew it was." Takara insisted with her arms crossed as she glared at her father. She was about to say something else when she heard the front door opening. "Mommy," she yelled running into the front room. "Mommy, Daddy stole my ice cream," she said as she hugged her mother. "He knew it was mine and he took it anyway. Please make him give it back." As she looked up at her mother though, the smile fell from Takara's face. "Mommy?" she asked hesitantly. "Mommy, what's wrong?"

As soon as he heard the change in his daughters voice, Inu Yasha came into the front room. The sight that greeted him caused his heart rate to increase slightly. "Kagome?" he questioned as he approached her. As soon as she raised her eyes to his, he knew what was wrong. Kagome had gone to the doctor today to get her regular check-up. Normally, Inu Yasha went with her, but Takara only had a half-day at school so this one time he didn't go with her.

"It's back," Kagome whispered as a single tear fell down her cheek. "It's back and it's getting worse." That was all she could manage before the dam broke and the tears began cascading down her face. They had always known there was a possibility it could come back. In fact, the truth was, it was never really gone. The truth was, it was inevitable that it would return and when it did, something would have to be done once again. Still, she was scared. She was scared because this time Takara was old enough to understand what was going on. Before Takara, had been an infant and didn't have any idea what was happening. Now, she was seven years old and perfectly capable of understanding what this meant.

The next month was difficult for everyone. The cancer came back even stronger than before and as a result Kagome was put on even stronger medications. For Takara, the whole experience was terrifying. She was old enough to understand that something was severely wrong, but not quite old enough to understand exactly what was happening. All she knew was that her Mommy was sick all the time and she seemed to be getting worse. Then one month after her first appointment she got a call from the doctor. One hour later saw Kagome checking into the hospital for what would be the first of many visits. Over the next six months Kagome was constantly checking in and out of the hospital. It became so the staff new Kagome and her family by name. Through it all though, Kagome remained strong. She was absolutely determined to beat it again, and before long, everyone else believed it too. That was why, it was such a shock one night when Inu Yasha came in with Takara to find the doctors and nurses talking in hushed tones outside her room.

"What's going on?" Inu Yasha asked as he approached her room, holding Takara close to his side. The doctors looked up and immediately stopped talking. They glanced uneasily at Inu Yasha and Takara not exactly sure what to say. Finally, one of the nurses stepped forward and offered Takara a piece of candy she had in her drawer. Inu Yasha watched in silence as the nurses led Takara away effectively keeping her distracted. As Inu Yasha refocused his attention on the doctors he felt dread beginning to creep up in his stomach.

"We aren't quite sure how it happened, but a small hole has appeared in Kagome's colon." No matter how many times the doctor delivered this type of news, he never got used to it. This time was even worse because he had gotten particularly close to this family. "We need to perform surgery as quickly as possible to repair, but in your wife's current condition, the surgery is risky at best and there is a very real possibility she will not survive."

Inu Yasha starred at the doctor in shock. What had happened? Just the other day he had been joking and laughing with Kagome. They had been making plans to take a family vacation when she got out. "This surgery, what will happen if you don't do it, if you just leave it until she's stronger?" He asked with a shaky voice.

The doctor sighed. "If we don't perform this surgery, then I can almost guarantee you that Kagome will not survive. As risky as it is, this surgery is your wife's best chance for survival, however the decision is ultimately yours. I'm sorry Inu Yasha, I wish that I could tell you something else or make this better." The doctor briefly put his hand on Inu Yasha's shoulder as a gesture of comfort before walking away to give the man some privacy.

As the doctor walked away, Inu Yasha collapsed heavily against the wall. He couldn't understand what had happened. Just earlier he had been joking with his wife on the phone. He closed his eyes for a moment and took a shaky breath. Inu Yasha paused a moment before taking out his cell phone.

"Miroku? Its me, listen is there anyway you come to the hospital? Kagome, she's...she's not doing to good."

"Should we stop and get her mother?" A million different questions were running through Miroku's head about what had happened, but he could tell by his friends voice that this wasn't the time to ask.

"Yeah, thanks." Inu Yasha started to put his phone away when another thought occurred to him. Inu Yasha dialed another number and waited as the phone rang. Finally, another voice came on the other end.

"Hello?"

"Souta, it's Inu Yasha. Listen, it's about your sister, if there's anyway you can get to the hospital it probably wouldn't be a bad idea." Inu Yasha was silent as he waited for Souta's response.

"Is she really that bad?" he asked hesitantly.

"The doctors think she is."

"I'll be there as soon as I can."

Inu Yasha hung up the phone and took another minute to steady himself. He looked over to the nurses station where they were still playing with his daughter. Wanting to spend a few minutes alone with her, Inu Yasha slipped into Kagome's room. As he came in, Kagome raised her head slightly and it broke Inu Yasha's heart to see that it took her a moment to recognize him.

"Hi sweetheart," he whispered softly as he entered her room.

"Hi," she answered back.

"How are you feeling?" He asked her.

"Not so great," she responded. "Where is Takara?"

"Just outside with the nurses, do you want me to get her?"

"Not yet.." Kagome paused for a minute as she thought about what she wanted to say. "The doctors told me what is going on. If I don't survive Inu Yasha, I want you to promise me that you will make sure Takara knows how much I loved her."

"You'll be fine." Inu Yasha tried to reassure her, but his shaky voice betrayed his words.

"I'm going to fight my hardest," she whispered, "but I know the chances. If I don't make it Inu Yasha, and if you meet someone down the road, its ok."

"No," Inu Yasha whispered, tears coming to his eyes. "You are my one and only." They remained there like that for a few more moments, holding each others hands in silence. Finally, Inu Yasha walked out into the hallway to collect Takara. He came out of the room just in time to see Sango and Miroku entering the ICU. Miroku's expression was solemn, and Sango looked as if she'd been crying.

"What's going on?" Miroku asked quietly as he approached Inu Yasha.

"The doctors have to perform and emergency surgery. They don't think she's strong enough to make it through, but they are convinced she will die without it." As he spoke, Inu Yasha realized he sounded strangely calm. He watched as his friends absorbed the news. Sango collapsed against Miroku's side as new tears formed in her eyes. Even Miroku's eyes became slightly glassy as he stared at Inu Yasha in shock.

"Where's her mom?"

"Waiting with the kids. She was afraid to come in her unprepared not knowing how bad Kagome was. She wanted us to come in first so we could warn her. She," Miroku didn't get to finish his sentence though because at that moment Takara noticed their presence.

"Auntie! Uncle!" she cried happily. "What are you guys doing here?" she asked as she came running over. Sango and Miroku did their best to hide their sorrow as she approached. Miroku knelt down and held out his arms as the seven year old leapt happily into them.

"Hey there kiddo," he said smiling fondly at his goddaughter. "We just came to visit your mom."

"Oh, there were a bunch of doctors outside her room when we got here," Takara answered thoughtfully. Then she smiled again and reached out for Sango. "Hi auntie Sango."

"Hi sweetheart," Sango replied taking her from Miroku. "What do you say we all go say 'hi' to your mommy?" As everyone approached Kagome's room, all the adults had one thing on their mind; how were they going to explain what was going on to Takara.

The next hour flew by in a daze. Souta came, Kagome's mom came, they all told her they loved her and she told them she loved him. As he stood back and watched though, Inu Yasha could see Kagome's mental state fading fast. It was taking her longer to recognize people and to respond. Then suddenly the doctors were there to take her down to surgery. As they wheeled her out of the room, she looked at Inu Yasha with terrified eyes.

"Am I going to die?" She asked. Gone was the strong and faithful woman from just days ago. He could tell she was still there, somewhere buried under all the confusion in her brain. He hated to see her like this because it wasn't her. This, this was the disease.

"No," he answered. "You are going to be fine. I love you." Then she was gone. As he walked into the waiting, he felt a sense of dread firmly settle over him. "Takara," he whispered quietly to his sleepy daughter. "Lets go outside for a minute," he said as he picked her up. "I need to explain something to you." As Inu Yasha walked with his daughter down the halls of the hospital, he wondered briefly how Kagome would handle this if the situations were reversed. In the end he decided to explain it to her as best he could without hiding anything from her, but without scaring her. She had cried for a little while before deciding her mommy was going to be alright and then falling asleep. Inu Yasha couldn't help but smile at her childlike faith and innocence. He wanted so badly to be as confident as she was, but he didn't need his demon senses to read the doubt in the doctors face and hear the sympathy in his voice. The next hours were tense and the room was filled with an anxious energy as one by one, the adults began to fall asleep. Finally, by the time the surgeon came out, only Inu Yasha and Souta had remained awake. It only took the others seconds to wake up however when he began to speak.

She made it through with flying colors. Inu Yasha didn't register a whole lot after that. He paid enough attention to know as far as the disease was concerned she wasn't out of the woods yet, but all he could focus on was that the emergency was over. Besides, judging by what the doctor had to say, there was no reason to believe that his Kagome wouldn't once again make a full recovery. It had been a little over five years and there were new medicines now. According to the doctor, now that she had made it through this, the worst was over. As soon as she woke up they would be able to start her on new medication.

The next day everyone came and went with tired smiles and relief in there eyes. Inu Yasha went home long enough to change his clothes and get some food before returning to his wife's bedside. Sango and Miroku had gone home for a while with there kids to get some much needed rest and Kagome's mom had taken Takara home with her so she could rest. Finally that evening the staff was able to convince Inu Yasha to go home and get a decent night's sleep.

The next morning though, things once again began to get tense. There wasn't any real reason as to why Kagome hadn't woken up yet. By that afternoon, things had spiraled out of control and by that evening they were doubting she would make it through the night. She proved she was a fighter once again though, and managed to pull through the night. That small victory was short lived though, and the following day was spent with her family by her side saying their final good-byes. That evening as Inu Yasha sat holding his wife's hand, he watched as the line went flat. He stood helplessly in the background as the nurses and doctors rushed in and tried to save her. He felt his body go numb as he watched her doctor walk toward him shaking his head and apologizing. His mind was blank for a moment before one random thought floated through his head, 'I'm glad Takara wasn't here to see that.' He moved on autopilot back into her room and for a moment was able to trick himself into thinking that she was just sleeping. They had removed all the lines she had been hooked up too as well as the oxygen. Now, she was just lying there peacefully, almost as if she had been in bed at home. Inu Yasha felt one tear fall, followed rapidly by another. As the tears flowed freely down his face, he knelt at his wife's bedside, whispering 'I love you' over and over again into her ear. He wasn't sure how long he was like that when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked up to see the tear-streaked face of Miroku and he knew it was time to go. He had made a promise to Kagome and he had a little girl waiting for him at home who was going to need him more than ever. He looked once more at her peaceful face before placing one last kiss on her lips and walking to the door. He looked back as Miroku stared at the woman he'd come to love as little sister. Gently Miroku placed a kiss on her forehead before joining Inu Yasha the door.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

_It's hard to say goodbye_

_Her picture in my mind_

_Will always be of times I'll cherish_

_And I won't cry cause_

_She flew up to Heaven on the wings of angels_

_By the clouds and stars and past where no one sees_

_And she walks with Jesus and her loved ones waiting_

_And I know she's smiling saying_

_Don't worry 'bout me_

_Don't worry 'bout me_

_Don't worry 'bout me_

_-Alan Jackson_

_:::::::::::::::::::::::::_

_**Please review, it would mean a lot. **_Bits and pieces of this chapter were taken from what we really experienced with my mom. I was like Takara when they first took my mom down to surgery, absolutely convinced she would make it and she did. Unlike Takara though, I actually was there 3 days later holding her hand when the line went flat. It was just over a year and a half ago, when I was still seventeen. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't think about her and miss her and in a way, this chapter, as difficult as it was to bring up some of those memories, helped me work through some of the pain. There are days when it isn't so bad, and there are other days where it hurts so bad if feels like my heart is physically breaking. She was more than just my mom, she truly was my best friend too. I know it seems kind of strange to post such a horrible chapter on Mother's Day, but in a way, I feel like it is a way to celebrate my mom because even though death is a major part of it, so is the amazing strength and courage she demonstrated right up until the end. She was an inspiration to all those that knew her and I was so blown away by how many people came to her funeral. That is what I wanted to mostly focus on and portray, the amazing inspiration she was, and to me, still is. Happy Mother's Day Mom, I love you and still miss you.


	8. To Where You Are

**To Where You Are**

Fly me up to where you are

Beyond the distant star

I wish upon tonight

To see you smile

If only for a while

To know you're there

A breath away's not far to where you are.

Are you gently sleeping

Here inside my dream?

And isn't faith believing

All power can't be seen

As my heart holds you

Just one beat away

I cherish all you gave me

Everyday

-_Josh Groban_

_::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::_

Inu Yasha sat leaning against the tree staring up at the stars. He knew that no sleep would come to him tonight, so he didn't even bother to try. Tonight marked a year since the worst night of his

entire life. As he stared up into the night sky, he allowed his mind to take him back almost twenty years to when he and Kagome first began their journey. For the first time since they left, Inu

Yasha longed to be back in Feudal Japan, back to even before Naraku, when their biggest worry was collecting the Jewel Shards. Inu Yasha still couldn'T grasp it, he couldn't grasp the fact that she

had lived through all of Naraku's evil plots, only to be betrayed by her own body. In the first months after she died, Inu Yasha agonized over those thoughts, over how a priestess as powerful as she,

a priestess with spiritual and healing powers could succumb to something like cancer. It didn't take him long to realize though that his own grief was having a negative effect on Takara and he

immediately forced himself to change. He focused on helping Takara heal, and grieved privately. There were times though, every now and then, when the grief would become too much and would

consume him to the point where he couldn't hide it from her. Those were the times that Takara would spend the night with Miroku and Sango, or Souta, or grandma. Those times were far and few

between, but they were enough to allow Inu Yasha to release anything that had been building up and refocus his attention on his daughter. Overall, Inu Yasha had been extremely proud of Takara.

She missed her mother terribly just like any other 8 year old, but she also did her best to continue to do things that would have "made mommy proud." Inu Yasha knew though, that Takara was

responsible for saving his life because he knew that if he didn't have her to focus on, his grief and sadness would have consumed the moment Kagome died. Inu Yasha was brought out of his

thoughts though by the sound of his back door sliding open.

"Daddy?" A tiny voice called out. "Are you out here?" Inu Yasha was on his feet in less then a second.

"What's wrong Takara," Inu Yasha asked as he came up to his daughter.

"I had a dream about Mommy." she responded, her voice quivering as a couple of tears escaped from her eyes.

"I'm sorry baby," Inu Yasha said as he picked his little girl up and held her close. "Do you want to tell me about it?" He asked as he carried her to his room.

"Well it started out, and we were all together," Takara began smiling ever so slightly. "We were a family again, and we were joking and playing. But then all of a sudden mommy kept falling asleep,"

she said, tears falling down her face, "and we kept trying to wake her up, but each time it got a little harder, until we couldn't wake her up at all, and then somebody told us she was dead." Takara

said, trying to breath through her tears. "But the worst part is, in the dream, the next morning when we woke up, she had come back to life and she was ok. It, it was s...s...so hard b...because

when I...I woke up, I...I knew it was j...just a dream a...and she was really still g...gone," she finished, now sobbing onto Inu Yasha's shoulder. He just held her and rubbed her back trying to soothe

her. He knew how hard those dreams were, he had had them himself. It was so painful to have to relive loosing her in the dream, and then having the joy of thinking it was all a mistake she was

still alive, only to have to face the painful sting of waking up to find she was still gone. The first few times he had had dreams like that he had woken up confused with his heart beating fast. He was

so lost in his thoughts that it took him a moment to realize that Takara had cried herself back to sleep.

As much as he missed Kagome, it pained him even more to see his baby girl suffering. The first three months after her death had been the hardest. Takara had nightmares nearly every night, and

would wake up sobbing and calling out for her mother. It killed Inu Yasha to she her hurting so badly. Very slowly though, the nightmares happened less and less frequently until finally they nearly

stopped. In fact, it had been two months since her last nightmare. Inu Yasha wasn't surprised though, he had been expecting a nightmare tonight. As he laid there watching her sleep though, he

suddenly felt a wave of peace wash over him and in that instant he knew that no matter how hard things got, somehow, everything would be ok.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

**A/N: He guys, sorry its been so long, I will do my best to try to update soon. Please review and let me know what you think, the more reviews I get the faster I update, lol, thanks!!**


	9. Remember

**Remember**

_Remember_

_I will still be here_

_As long as you hold me_

_In your memory_

_Remember_

_When your dreams have ended_

_Time can be transcended_

_Just remember me_

_I am the one star that keeps burning so brightly_

_It is the last light to fade into the rising sun_

_I'm with you whenever you tell my story_

_For I am all I've done_

_-Josh Groban_

* * *

"Another essay!? We have to do another essay!?" twelve year old Suki complained loudly to her best friend Takara.

"Unfortunately, yes" Takara answered without much enthusiasm. Suki had missed school that day because of a cold, so Takara had come over to give her friend their homework for the day.

"But we haven't even finished the last one he assigned us!" Suki continued to protest. "It's his fault I'm sick, you know. It's because of all this stress!" Takara laughed at her friends antics. Of the two of them, Suki was definitely the more outgoing one, but then again she didn't have much of a choice with Keitaro as an older brother.

"Yeah well, you can tell him that when you come back to school. I'll sit way in the back and you can let me know how that works out for you," Takara responded grinning.

"You mean you wouldn't back me up," Suki said pretending to be hurt.

"Nope, she's smart, unlike you my dear, little sister," came a voice from the door. Both girls turned to see fourteen year old Keitaro leaning in the doorway smiling.

"Hey no ease dropping! Only daddy is allowed to do that!" Suki playfully yelled, as she threw one of her many pinky, girly pillows at her older brother. He caught it with a big smile on his face, making Suki stick her tung out at him.

"Yeah, yeah I was just checking in on my little sister, after all you haven't come out of your room for your daily treats. So I brought you something special I made it sweat and just for you." He smiled, as he entered her room and handed her the folded napkin.

"You didn't put poison in it did you?"

"Of course I didn't what makes you think I would. You are my only little sister after all." He smiled, as she opened the napkin and smiled. Keitaro smiled back and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead before asking, "How are you feeling?" as he sat on the edge of her bed, opposite Takara.

"Better now that your home," she answered smiling at her big brother. They teased each other all the time, but Suki and Keitaro were best friends and always worried about each other.

"See, I make everyone's day better," he teased as Suki and Takara laughed at his antics. "So how was school," he asked shifting his attention to Takara. "What's this I hear about another essay?" he asked curiously.

"Yeah, we have to write an essay about our greatest possession." Takara explained. "The item we own that means the most to us."

"Sounds like fun," Keitaro said. "What are you girls going to write about?"

"I'm not sure," Suki replied. "I have to think about it more. What about you Tara?"

Takara blushed. "I think I'm going to write about that book my mom wrote," she answered quietly.

"I think that's a fantastic idea," Keitaro said smiling kindly at her. "I remember Aunt Kagome working on that. It was really cool."

Takara's face lit up at the compliment. "Daddy and I are going to try to get it published," she said proudly. "Mommy always wanted to, but she never got a chance," she said quietly. It was a lot easier for her to talk about her mom now, but she still missed her, even four years later.

"Really?" Suki asked excitedly. "That is so awesome! Promise you'll give me a copy when it gets published!"

"Of course!" Takara said smiling.

"Takara!!" A voice yelled from downstairs.

"Daddy!!" Takara replied excitedly, jumping up. "I'll be right back," she said quickly to her friends as she ran out of the room. As she left Keitaro and Suki smiled at each other. It was amazing how resilient their friend was.

Meanwhile Takara ran down the stairs and jumped into Inu Yasha's arms before she even reached the bottom step. "Hey there Angel," Inu Yasha said smiling as he caught his little girl. "I missed you today," he said smiling at her.

"I missed you too Daddy," she said hugging him tightly.

"So how was school today," he asked setting her down.

"It was kind of boring since Suki stayed home from school today."

"I'm sorry, what do you say we go out to dinner and talk about your day?"

"Sure, let me just go tell Suki and Keitaro 'bye,'" she said before running back up the stairs.

"She's growing up so fast," Miroku said coming up behind Inu Yasha as they watched her run back up the stairs.

"They all are," said Sango as she stood next to her husband.

"Hey, I have to go, my Daddy is taking me out to dinner," Takara said coming back into Suki's room.

"Cool, thanks for bringing me my homework," Suki said as Takara hugged her.

"Bye Keitaro," Takara said coming around to hug him, "see you both tomorrow," she said waving at them as she ran out of the room.

* * *

"So what did you do today?" Inu Yasha asked his daughter as they waited for their food to arrive.

"Not much," Takara replied. "Since Suki wasn't at school today I didn't really have anyone to hang out with. I sat with Kohana and Kaoru at lunch, but it just isn't the same when Suki's not there," she said smiling at her father. "You know how energetic and animated she is all the time."

Inu Yasha smiled. When it came to personalities, Takara and Suki were like night and day. Suki was full of energy, constantly on the go, constantly looking for new adventures and eager to meet new people. She was outgoing and loved to be in the spotlight. Takara on the other hand was much more reserved and shy; she was content to stay in the background and let others shine. She was a lot like Kagome, just a lot calmer.

"What about your classes?" Inu Yasha asked. "Anything new?"

"Yeah," Takara said. "We have to write an essay about our greatest possession. I want to write about Mommy's book." Takara said, her eyes full of excitement and pride. "Will you help me Daddy? I want to know more about why Mommy decided to write it and what gave her the idea."

Inu Yasha thought for a moment. He wasn't sure what to tell her. They had never told any of the children about their lives in the Feudal Era. They had always said they would one day, that was one of the many reasons Kagome wanted to write the book. When Kagome died though, they had stopped talking about it. It almost didn't seem right, plus that life was so long ago, it was just a distant memory now, almost like a dream. As he looked at Takara's expectant face though, he decided it was time to talk to Sango and Miroku. "Of course Angel. I actually have a surprise for you though."

"Really?" Takara asked.

"Well, I sent Mommy's book out to a publishing agency a month ago and I finally heard back from them today."

"Really? What did they say?" Takara asked, sitting on the edge of her seat. In response, Inu Yasha reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a book.

"This is the cover the publisher wants to use," he said handing the book to his daughter. On the cover was a huge tree. On one half of the cover the background looked to be set in ancient times, while the other half seemed to be more modern, like present day.

"Wow," Takara said as she stared in awe at her mother's book.

"They are hoping to have the first round of books on the shelves by next month." Inu Yasha couldn't keep the smile off of his face as he watched his little girls reaction. He had gotten the news early that day and as much as it had excited him, he was more excited to see what Takara's reaction would be and it didn't disappoint him. He didn't think he had ever seen her smile bigger than she was right now. The last few months in particular had been difficult for her. Inu Yasha could tell that she missed her mother terribly. What scared Inu Yasha more than anything was the fact that she was getting to the age where he couldn't really help her. He knew she had Sango to talk to, but he also knew that as wonderful as Sango was, she couldn't fill the hole in Takara's heart. He could see it in her face every time she watched Suki hug Sango and every time Sango kissed Suki's forehead. It wasn't that Sango excluded Takara, she made sure she always showed her the same affection, but still, Sango wasn't Takara's mother, and every once in a while, Inu Yasha could see the pain in Takara's eyes. She would smile and laugh, but he always knew. Those days Takara would come home and snuggle with him on the sofa while they talked about Kagome, or sometimes he would just hold her while she cried.

He had been looking forward to telling her all day because he knew how happy it would make her, and that was all he wanted. Kagome had started this project mostly as a way to record their memories, the good and the bad. When she found out she was sick though, it became a way for her to make sure Takara would always have a piece of her, regardless of whether or not it got published. Getting it published though, he knew had been Kagome's dream and he just knew that she was smiling down upon them tonight, and that she was still with them.

**A/N: Sorry this took so long, I had a major case of writers block. Now that I'm past this chapter, I should be able to finish the story. It's almost to the end, I'm thinking maybe about 4 more chapters, depending on what I come up with. I'm really hoping to get this done before I start school again next week, but we'll see...lol, anyway, HUGE thanks to Syaoran019 for helping me figure this chapter out and nagging me to get it updated, lol. If you have a chance check out her stories ^_^ Please review, thanks!!!!**


	10. Butterfly Kisses

**Butterfly Kisses**

_Sweet sixteen today_

_She's lookin' like her mamma a little more everyday_

_One part woman, the other part girl_

_To perfume and makeup, from ribbons and curls_

_Trying her wings out in a great big world_

_But I remember..._

_Butterfly kisses after bedtime prayer_

_Stickin' little white flowers all up in her hair_

_You know how much I love you Daddy, _

_But if you don't mind_

_I'm only gonna kiss you on the cheek this time_

_Oh with all that I've done wrong_

_I must have done something right_

_To deserve her love every morning_

_And butterfly kisses at night_

_ -Bob Carlisle_

* * *

Inu Yasha stared at Takara as she came out of her room. Today was her sixteenth birthday and they were going out to a nice restaurant with Sango, Miroku, Keitaro, and Suki to celebrate. Watching Takara check over herself once more in the mirror before they left sent him flying back in time over twenty years. In the last couple of years, Takara had started looking like Kagome more and more each day, and now, Inu Yasha couldn't believe how grown up his baby looked. As he watched her, he couldn't help but feel a slight ache in his heart for Kagome. He wanted her there for himself, but mostly for Takara, to see what an incredible young lady their little girl was turning into. Finally, Takara turned to face him.

"How do I look Daddy?" She asked doing a small twirl in front of him.

"You look beautiful Angel," he said, fighting to keep his voice steady. Kagome would have laughed if she had been there. Here he was, the man who had defeated the evilest demon of all time, getting choked up by the sight of his daughter looking all grown up. It seemed like it was only yesterday Kagome was putting ribbons in her hair and she was reaching up for him to swing her around. Where had the time gone? He thought back to the night, years ago, just before Takara turned two, when he and Kagome had just sat in her room and watched her sleep. He remembered telling Kagome he didn't know where the time had gone and her telling him it was only going to go faster from there. He realized that Kagome had never spoken truer words than those. The thing that scared him the most though, was that it never slowed down, it just kept passing by faster and faster. He was scared one day that, just like he had turned around and Takara had gone from grinning toddler to young lady, he would blink and she would be all grown up and married and on her own. He didn't know if he could handle that.

"Come on Daddy, the others are waiting for us," Takara said. As she grabbed his arm she pulled him out of his thoughts and grounded him back in reality. As he allowed her to lead him out the door, he realized that all he could do was take in and enjoy every moment he had with her now.

The rest of the evening passed wonderfully. Sango, Miroku, Keitaro, and Suki had gotten Takara a beautiful and elegant set of diamond earrings that had nearly overwhelmed her. Her eyes had teared up and she couldn't stop thanking them. As the evening went on though, Inu Yasha couldn't stop noticing the closeness between Takara and Keitaro; they had always been close, but their relationship was changing. He could see it in the way that Keitaro looked at her, that he no longer saw her as a little girl, or even as his little sister's best friend. He was starting to see her just the way Inu Yasha had seen her earlier this evening, as a young lady. Even though he had known Keitaro since he was in diapers, it still scared him.

Later that evening, as Takara lay sleeping in bed, Inu Yasha stood in her doorway and watched her sleep just as he and Kagome had done years ago when she was still in her crib. He couldn't believe how she was changing before his very eyes. As he turned away he caught sight of the top of her dresser and he couldn't help but grin. On her desk sat a small bottle of perfume that had been his gift to her, as well as a few makeup supplies that she had slowly been building up over the last couple of years. As he looked at the items, he couldn't help but let his mind take him back ten years.

_Inu Yasha walked into his house and set his bag down. He had just spent the entire weekend away from his wife and daughter at a tournament three hours away. Nearly all of his students were competing, from his beginners to his most advanced students, so as a result, he had students competing nearly every hour. This schedule had forced him to just stay at a hotel, rather that drive home. He had definitely enjoyed himself, and all of his students had done extremely well, however right now all he wanted were his girls. As he began walking down the hallway, he heard giggling coming from Takara's room. Quietly he peaked his head into her room and the sight before him brought a huge smile to his face. Takara was sitting at her little vanity with Kagome's make-up kit doing her make-up while Kagome watched from her bed. She had on one of her fancy dress up dresses on and it was obvious that Kagome had curled her hair and done it up in ribbons._

_ "How do I look Mommy?" Takara asked as she finished putting the lipstick on. Inu Yasha watched as Kagome held back a giggle._

_ "You look absolutely beautiful, just like a princess." Kagome replied smiling._

_ "I want to look extra pretty for Daddy when he comes home," Takara said proudly. _

_ Inu Yasha smiled before quietly slipping down the hallway and back to the front door. It was obvious she wanted to surprise him, so he didn't want to ruin it for her. He walked back to the front door before opening it loudly and calling out, "I'm home." He could hear an excited squeal followed by little footsteps come racing down the hall._

_ "Daddy, Daddy, Daddy!!!" Takara called excitedly as she ran to him._

_ "Hey there Angel," he said scooping her up in his arms. "Well don't you look absolutely stunning. You didn't get a date and not tell me, did you?" He asked pretending to suddenly worry. He caught Kagome's eye as she came into the living room and winked._

_ "No silly," Takara replied giggling. "I got all dressed up for you Daddy."_

_ "You did, did you?" he asked._

_ "Yep, and Mommy made dinner too. We have to go to the kitchen so you can see," she instructed him._

_ "Ok, but first let me say 'hi' to Mommy," he told her as he set her down and walked over to his wife. "Hi sweetheart," he whispered as he wrapped her in a hug and kissed her temple. "I missed you so much," he murmured in her ear as he held her._

_ "I missed you too" she replied. "We both did," she added as she pulled away from him and took his hand. "Come on," she said leading him into the kitchen, "Takara has been dying for you to get home, she wanted everything to be perfect." Inu Yasha couldn't help but smile as he walked into the kitchen. The table was set with their nice dinner plates and there were two candles along with a vase of flowers in the middle._

_ "Do you like it Daddy?" Takara asked shyly as she looked up at him, suddenly afraid that he might not like it._

_ "It's perfect," Inu Yasha replied picking her up and hugging her once more. As they walked over to the table Kagome pulled out the Takara's chair while Inu Yasha put her down. Kagome walked over to the stove and took the two pots that had been warming off and brought them to the table while Inu Yasha got their drinks. Once the table was completely set, Inu Yasha guided Kagome to her seat and pulled her chair out for her before sitting down himself. As they settled in for spaghetti by candle light, Inu Yasha couldn't help but smile as he watched his wife and daughter, amazed by how perfect his life was. After dinner, Inu Yasha decided that since Takara looked so pretty, they should have a dance. He put some music on in the living room and he spent the rest of the evening dancing with Takara standing on his feet. After she fell asleep, he and Kagome had held each other close and danced for a couple more songs before they carried Takara into her room and put her to sleep and then headed to bed themselves._

As Inu Yasha's memory came to an end he couldn't help but smile. He had had one more gift that he had wanted to give to Takara when they were by themselves and now he had the perfect way to do it. As he headed off to bed, he planned out the following evening in his head. Spaghetti dinner by candlelight followed by dancing in the living room sounded like the perfect way to give Takara the hair combs he had given Kagome the night he found out he was going to be a Daddy. He had come across them shortly after Kagome's death and had decided to wait until Takara's 16th birthday to give them to her. He knew that she would love them because of their beauty, but mostly because they had belonged to her mother, and because her mother had cherished them so dearly. Right before he drifted off to sleep, his last thought was of how quickly time had flown and how his baby had gone from princesses, fancy ribbons, and bouncing curls to diamond earrings, make up, and perfume.

* * *

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